Flange fastening clip for spools



Feb. 18, 1958 J. w. vAslKoNls ET AL 2,823,573

FLANGE FASTENING CLIP FOR sPooLs- Filed Oct. l0, 1955 Q INVENTORS. J//A/14./ l/AS//f/V/S 2,823,513 FLANGEFASTENNGCnnFoR-sroors JohnW.1Vasikonis,i 0aklyn,;and ,0.wenBradley,

:owns MillgfN. J.

w'Application AOctober '10, 19575,'SerialN-i'53904 Claims. (Cl.'ssii-T40) fTheprese'nt invention relates to improvementsinspools, V.andis more particularly concerned with .theprovisionof means for securingltogether Vthe Score fandA end rflanges fof spoolsmanufacturedfromcardboard .or similar fibrous materials.

ISpools of -the *type herein referred :toare'in`tended primarilyforzmi1l.use,:and serve as'ftemp'orary holders 'for narrow fabrics,wire, ibelting; and the like ,in -the -mill,"or for .shipmentpas theoase .may be. Inasmuch vas these spools 4are ordinarily fthrownawayafter use, it'isiessential that they sbe.cons'tructedof ythe cheapestand -inost easily manufactured ;niate'rial adaptable for vthe purpose,and that their `cost fof manufacture be :asflow as possible.Simultaneously, rit is essential lthat these v.spools have the requisitestrength to remain assembledfor a -suflcient period of time f to performtheir intended purpose.

`-In Acommercial practice these spools are usuallyI con-v structed of.paper cardboard, pasted lcliipboard, binders boa-rd or :the tlike, andcomprise Jyaftubula-r rolled paper core` to -which are xed two fiat'endlllanges fwh-ieh may be; and preferably are, manufactured from theabove-mentioned materials.

In the vmanufacture of thesespools, a .principal item of cost has beenthe provision lof satisfactory smeans for securing the two end anges tothe paper cylinder which forms the core of the-spool. A varietymofmeanshave heretofore been suggested. -Theseinclude by waylfof example,a'plug or bushing which ifs-secured by lstaples 'to thev end vflange andfits into the-end of fthe tubeforoore, such plug being then .cementedinto -place therein.

The use of individual strips of bent sheet metal provided withpenetrating prongs or points has also been suggested, and has gainedrelatively widespread commercial acceptance. In the manufacture ofspools utilizing such means, the end ange is placed over the paper core,and three angled strips of the aforesaid type are positioned 120 degreesapart, with one arm of the strip on the end ange and the other arm ofthe strip within the paper core. The strips are then rammed intoposition by a bushing or locking member which is retained permanentlywithin the paper core. This form of securing means gives a spool havingsatisfactory strength, and which holds up well in use. However, securingmeans of the aforesaid type are relatively expensive to apply in themanufacture of spools. Thus, it is necessary that the strips bepositioned individually about the core. The positioning of theindividual strips is a most time-consuming operation and significantlyadds to the cost of manufacture of the spools.

The use of continuous eyelets has also been suggested. The use ofcontinuous eyelets or securing means in which all of the componentelements are bridged or joined together has likewise not provenaltogether satisfactory. Thus, the continuous bridge portion of thesecuring means resists expansion, and the securing means is not able toaccommodate to paper cores having various inside diarn eters` ordistorted inner wall surfaces.

This invention has as an object the provision of improved 'meansforasecuring iendfa'n'gcs fof la kspool'toL the core flthereof.

V'This invention Vfhasfas .l 'affurther vobject fthe provision of i f#simple and inexpensiveconstructionf `e assembly of .the 'end 'anges anda'fse'curing'telement lwhich `fai/ill lperinitrc'oreio'fzaispoollfinto'fafrigid andfserviceabk unit.

These and other objects are :accomplishe'dby lthe flange fasteningicliplofithe present vinvent-'ion which includes a pl l'tly fof s s-iasYfoffshe'et:metal or the like, 'joined tgethr'iat'theA nter offtheiclip.'Eachof -the'-"strips, whichistripslarle'refe'rablyoffsubstantiallyiuniformwidth, isiprovidedavithbosseshavingpenetrating prongs. In the elipsf cntrall'portione'ach fof 'the lstripsfis slitted--inwaidlyisolthatthelbrdging #center -p'ortion is greatlylchiofltheistrips isfbentffsoY that thebody of each'str'ip 'isdisposdin"least threelplanes. Thus, the outermost portion o'fffeach "trip'iifsdis-posed'in faegenerallylhorizontal plane,"w'ithftheadjacent'portionfdisposed in a 4generally' uprightlp ane. Thelslit central portion isgenerally dispo'sediin-aiplaneaangirlarlypositioned to'the vertical,with t'crr'tr'al 4Kp'ortionl'assuming in a'preferred vembodig ofythelirrve'ntion" a "generally p'yramidal shape. `fillhelip1f'1thepresentainventionmay be positioned in place asa unit, and after it is sopositioned maybe disf mernbered atftl'ieweakenedI central portion. Theclip` of the-present' invetionipoissesses th'e'ease of installation ofintegra-lfasteninglclips,'and the advantages of shapevdistor-Vtionfacco'rnmdation to-tvarying core-size, etc. possessedvbyfindividualfst'rips. A

For the pn'rposel of iliust'rating' the invention there is shown in thedrawings a form-whichlis presently preferred; it"'being`et1`nderstood,however, rvthat this 'invention is not liniitedtothe precisearrangements-and instrumentaliti'es shown. v

Referring to `'the drawings lwherein likea'eference characters refer to'likeparts:

Figure l is a perspective View of the an'ge'fastening clipAtif'thepresentinvention. y

Figur-cl2 isapiniview `of Ithe "angefaste'ning Lclipof the presentinvention. v Figure A3l iisflan'exploded View of a" spool :incorporatingtheangefas'tening'lip of the present invention.

Referring to the? drawings, the'-'fla1'igev fastening clip of Y thepresent invention is designated generally by the numeral 10, and ispreferably made of sheet metal, although it is to be understood thatsheet metal is merely a shop expedient, and the invention is not limitedthereto. Flange fastening clip 10 includes a plurality of strip elements12, four of which are shown in the illustrated embodiment of the presentinvention. Each of the strip elements 12 includes a plurality ofperforations 14 formed. therein by any type of punching device whichprovides an outstanding boss made up of random penetrating points or'teeth 16.

Each of the strip elements 12 is bent at a right angle to provide ahorizontal leg 18 and a vertical leg 20 and is4 bent inwardly andcentrally in the portion thereof adjacent the lowermost end of verticalleg 20 to form a central pyramidal or truncated pyramidal portiondesignated generally by the numeral 22.

The strip elements 12 are joined together at the apical center 24 ofcentral pyramidal portion 22, with the sides of strip elements 12 slittaperedly inwardly along slits 26. While slits 26 greatly weaken centralpyramidal portion 22, sufficient land is left therein to provide thestructural strength necessary to retain flange fastening clip 10 as anintegral unit. This may be accomplished even though the bridge or landregion at apical center 24 constitutes' but a small percentage of thetotal area of ange fastening clip 10.

f* y ICe. indented Feb. 1s, 1.958J

Figure 3 demonstrates the assembly of a spool unit orspool assemblydesignated generally by the numeral 28 which incorporates clip 10.

Spool unit includes a tube or core 30, preferably made of cardboard orthe like, and a pair of end anges 32 preferably made of similarmaterial. -To retain end flanges 32 in their fixed or secured position,Vthe spool unit 28 is provided with a flange fastening clip 10 ofthepresent invention and a locking member 34 for each end tlange 32.Locking member 34 comprises a bushing of cardboard or like material.

The assembly of spool unit 28 is effected by placing end ange 32 at eachend of tube 30, with the opening 33 in end ange 32 concentricallypositioned in respect to the bore 31- of core 30, and then positioningflange fastening clip 10 within the bore of tube 30 with the horizontallegs 18 outermost and superposed over the outermost Vface of end flange34. The juncture is made by inserting locking member 34 within the cupformed by the strip elements 12 of ange fastening clip 10 and thentearing the ange fastening clip 10 apart by extending slits 26 andurging the points 16 on the horizontal legs 18 and vertical legs 20 intothe outermost face of end flange 32 and the inner wall surface of tube30 respectively.

A preferred method and apparatus for accomplishing this operation isdescribed and shown in our co-pending patent application Serial No.539,305, entitled Method and Apparatus for Assembling Spools, filed oneven date herewith.

The slight deformation of locking member 34 when it is operativelypositioned, and the resiliency and roughness formed by the perforations14 in strip elements 12 maintain the locking member 34 securely inposition, within spool 28. ln turn, locking member 34 securely locks thestrip elements l2 in position to anchor the end flange 32 in itsoperative position.

The present invention may be embodied in other specic forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

We claim:

l. A readily dismembered integral clip for joining the end ange and coreof a spool including a center portion, a plurality of inwardly extendingslits in said center portion, a plurality of strips extending outwardlyfrom said center portion, with each of said strips having a plurality ofoutwardly extending projections delined by spaced pnnchings, and each ofsaid strips being bent to form a generally "horizontal outermost portionand a generally upright portion adjacent said outermost portion.

2. A readily dismembered integral clip for joining the end :flange andcore of a spool including a plurality of strips extending outwardly froma center portion, diagonal discontinuous slits substantially demarcatingthe innermost ends of said strips, with each of said strips having aplurality of outwardly extending projections defined by spacedpunchings, and each of said strips being bent to form a generallyhorizontal outermost portion and -a generally upright portion adjacentsaid outermost portion.

3. A readily dismembered integral clip for joining the end 'ange andcore of a spool including a center portion, a plurality of slits in saidcenter portion, each of said slits extending inwardly to a point spaceda relatively small distance from the centerpoint of said clip, aplurality of strips extending outwardly from said center portion, eachof said strips having a plurality of'outwardly extending projectionsdefined by spaced punchings, and each of said strips being bent to forma generally horizontal outermost portion and a generally upright portionadjacent said outermost portion.

4. lA readily dismembered integral clip for joining the end ange andcore of a spool including a plurality of strips extending outwardly froma center portion, diagonal discontinuous slits substantially demarcatingthe innermost ends of said strips, the centermost portion of the clipbeing undivided, with each of said strips having a plurality ofoutwardly extending projections defined by spaced punchings, each ofsaid strips being bent to form a generally horizontal outermost portion,a generally upright portion adjacent said outermost portion and aninnermost portion angularly disposed to said upright portion, saidinnermost portions of the strips being conjointly disposed substantiallyin the form of a pyramid, with said slits being the side edges of saidpyramid, and the undivided center portion being the apical portion ofsaid pyramid.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,845,833 Dunlap Oct. 16, 1932 1,909,979 Moretti May 23, 1933 17,919,270Bird July 25, 1933 2,035,644 Engel Mar. 31, 1936 2,519,840 Lenox Aug.22, 1950

